The goal of the Collaborative Research Centre on Polymer Mechanochemistry is to decipher the fundamental mechanisms of mechanochemistry, and thereby open up new pathways for innovative materials and biomedical applications. Mechanochemistry investigates chemical reactions triggered by mechanical forces – in contrast to classical transformations induced by heat or light. In particular, polymer mechanochemistry has evolved in recent years from a mere description of force-induced degradation of macromolecules into a dynamic research field. Today it encompasses applications such as damage detection in materials, material system responses to mechanical stimuli, and novel biomedical technologies.
“With this Collaborative Research Centre, we aim to understand the fundamental principles of how mechanical forces can specifically trigger chemical reactions in polymers. This knowledge opens up the possibility of developing entirely new materials and therapeutic approaches that are more precise, efficient, and sustainable than previous solutions,” explains Professor Andreas Herrmann, CRC spokesperson from the Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry at RWTH Aachen University and scientific director of the DWI Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials.
A key focus is on the biomedical application of mechanochemical principles. The goal is to develop innovative substances that can be activated by mechanical stimuli – enabling precise spatiotemporal control. Such approaches could be used in sonopharmacology and sonogenetics and help to make these more effective while reducing side effects.
University of Bremen Is Participating with Two Projects
Tim Neudecker, a theoretical chemistry professor at the University of Bremen, is participating in the Collaborative Research Centre with two projects, each in cooperation with partners at RWTH Aachen University.
The first project will develop a machine learning approach to automatically design new molecules activated by mechanical force. These mechanophores act as predefined breaking points in materials. They can trigger color changes under mechanical stress or release medications in the human body. Previous approaches to designing mechanophores have been labor-intensive, costly, and time-consuming. The machine learning method could significantly increase efficiency.
The second project focuses on cross-scale simulation of polymers that change color when mechanically stressed. The goal of this project is to model these materials from the level of individual molecules up to the macroscopic material in order to understand the mechanisms behind the color change and enable efficient color changes. Applications of these mechanochromic polymers are diverse, and include automatic color-coding of damaged packaging, optical signals indicating impending material failure in construction, and surgical sutures that indicate when a wound has been optimally closed.
“Although polymer mechanochemistry has already achieved great success in the past, we still do not understand many of the fundamental mechanisms. Computer simulations play an important role in understanding experimentally measured effects and optimally designing mechanochemical materials. The Collaborative Research Centre on Polymer Mechanochemistry offers a unique environment in which experiment and theory are closely intertwined to advance this exciting research area,” explains Professor Tim Neudecker.
Further Information:
https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/neudecker-group/group-members/prof-dr-tim-neudecker
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Tim Neudecker
Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218 50280
Email: neudeckerprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de
